Clinical manifestations of Whipple’s disease mimicking rheumatic disorders

Abstract

Whipple’s disease is a rare, chronic, systemic disorder caused by Tropheryma whipplei infection. The most common symptoms are weight loss, arthralgia, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other organ involvement can also occur in the patients. Joint manifestations may mimic rheumatoid arthritis or spondyloarthritis. Arthalgia, arthritis, spondylodiscitis, bursitis and/or tenosynovitis are seen in the majority of the patients. This explains why some of the symptoms are misdiagnosed as those of rheumatic diseases. Understanding of Whipple’s disease is important for differential diagnostics of several rheumatic symptoms.